Quebec

A geographically large country with a relatively small population, Canada has traditionally viewed immigration as a key instrument of population and economic growth. Over its history, however, immigration priorities and strategies have changed significantly, from an open border approach in Canada’s early history, to policy that could be characterized as explicitly discriminatory, to an economically focused approach.

Canada’s provinces are an integral layer of the nation’s governmental system. Under Canada’s Constitution, provincial governments have many key powers and jurisdictions, such as the provision of fundamental social services (for example, health, education and welfare), control over civil and property rights, and power over local government. This article explores provincial government in Canada, focusing on the key topics of the provinces as a level of government; provincial political, financial and administrative institutions; and issues and debates in provincial government.

The Charlottetown Accord is a set of failed constitutional amendments, proposed in the early 1990s, to gain Quebec’s formal acceptance of the Canadian Constitution. The Charlottetown Accord was the second attempt to bring Quebec into the constitutional fold, and was initiated after the failed Meech Lake Accord of 1987. This article provides an introduction to the history and substance of the Charlottetown Accord.

In an hour and a half, the French language debate will be starting and it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. This really is the contest between Dion, Duceppe and Harper. Although the NDP is making some gains in Quebec, I don't see Mr. Layton as particularly relevant and Ms. May's struggles in French mean she'll be marginal for much of it.

We were subjected in the 2000 election campaign to constant mockery of Alliance leader Stockwell Day's evangelical faith and beliefs. We got a glimpse of this tendency in the present campaign, this time from Gilles Duceppe:

One of the challenges of interpreting public opinion polls and predicting election outcomes in Canada is the single member plurality electoral system that only loosely translates popular vote into seats. That's why models that try to predict seat totals are interesting. One of the oldest and most successful is done by the Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy. Political scientist Barry Kay has developed a model that looks at regional shifts in party support as reported in polls and maps that on what we see at the district level in the previous election.

Even with new media reports nearly every day in Quebec of separatist politicians taking a swipe at the Bloc, I was reluctant to believe there was a real problem within the party. Rather, I thought some separatists might be more inclined to sway voters to a different party (odd as that might sound).

I'm beginning to realise, however, that it's both: colleagues of mine much closer to the Bloc suggest there is a "genuine crisis" and it centres around the idea that right-wing viewpoints and ideas are no longer welcome within the party.

Pauline Marois is Leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ) and Leader of the Official Opposition. Currently, she serves as Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for the riding of Charlevoix, a riding she won in a by-election on September 24, 2007.

Sylvie Roy is leader of the Official Opposition and interim leader of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ). She represents the riding of Lotbinière.

Roy became interim leader of the ADQ party following the resignation of former leader Mario Dumont. She has been a member of the provincial legislature since 2003. She served as deputy opposition house leader in 2007–08. Roy has also been a member of several committees, including those responsible for social affairs; choosing a site for the new hospital for the Université de Montréal; and institutions.